Northern Realm Royal Dragons Shifter Boxset Bks 2-5

by Lisa Daneils

Liam took a step past her before turning. “No. My eldest brother will take over once my father passes. No matter how much he wants to pass it to me.”

  The princess was clearly surprised by this. “You mean he doesn’t want to be king?”

  “Not at all. He has made that incredibly clear. So much so that it is affecting the kingdom.”

  “Are you unwilling to take the responsibility of a kingdom?”

  Liam gave a very tense laugh, “That isn’t the problem. We aren’t like humans in many ways, but that is one of the biggest differences between our royalty and yours. The heir is chosen by the land, so it doesn’t really matter what he wants. He will take over because he was chosen.”

  “The land chooses? How does…. how does that work?”

  “Do you want the long explanation?”

  “Is there a short one?”

  She gave him a nervous smile, not quite sure if he was trying to make her feel stupid or if he was being serious.

  “Not really. But I can try if that is really what you want to hear.”

  Bridget took his arm, which he still held out to her. “No, that’s alright.”

  “Does it bother you that you might not be a queen someday?”

  A wry laugh escaped her, “Would you believe me if I said not in the least? I’m more interested in having a family than in ruling a country.”

  “Hmm,” Liam was looking ahead, but he didn’t say anything in response.

  “That’s all you have to say? Isn’t that what princes want to hear?”

  Liam considered the question for a few seconds before replying, “If that is the reaction you want, then I can oblige. But I will admit that it would just be for show.”

  “You are quite honest, aren’t you?” Bridget was still trying to figure out what exactly would make him interested in her. So far there hadn’t been any hint that he was going to insult her.

  This time Liam stopped and withdrew his arm from hers. “You appear to have some very clear expectations. If you would be so kind as to let me know what is making you so apprehensive, I can either confirm or assuage your concerns.”

  Bridget pursed her lips. Apart from the color of his eyes, there weren’t many physical indications that the prince wasn’t human. His demeanor, language, and attitude were far from what she considered to be normal for humans. Finally, she decided to go with the safest and most honest answer she could give. “I wouldn’t want to offend you.”

  His eyes were calculating as he looked at her. “If you are apprehensive because of my species, then we can end this and I will seek a bride elsewhere. If you are apprehensive because of your previous experiences with suitors, then I can honestly tell you if they will be concerns in your interactions with me.”

  Bridget shifted a little. “If I’m being honest, I don’t even know what your species is. No one seems to know—not even my father. I admit that it makes me a little… wary. But it is much more my previous experiences that color my expectations.”

  Liam placed a hand on his lower lip and nodded. “Alright, this might take a little longer to discuss. We will be out of the maze before we are done speaking if we keep walking. Would you mind if we stopped in a few minutes? I imagine your feet will be glad for the rest anyway.”

  Bridget looked down and realized that he was right. She didn’t know how long they had been in the maze, but her feet were beginning to ache in the tight shoes. “A rest would be nice.” She gave him an apologetic smile. When he offered her his arm again, Bridget was curious about their current location. “You say we will be talking longer than we will be in the maze. How can you be sure?”

  “We are nearly to the fountain in the middle. Even if we take the longest route out, I feel certain that the discussion will be far from over.”

  “How can you possibly know that?”

  “I saw the maze on the way here, so I know how much further we have to go before we reach the end.”

  “How did you get a map of the maze?” Her curiosity was piqued because as far as she knew, there were no remaining maps of the palace, not even the maze.

  “I didn’t see a map. I got a much better view and had thought it would be nice to see the gardening work up close. And it hasn’t disappointed. You were quite right in your praise for those who created it, as I hope you have been able to appreciate.” He gave her a small smile, and she knew instinctively that it was forced for her benefit.

  Turning from him, she tried to take in her surroundings.

  Taking this as a sign that she wanted to more fully appreciate the maze without having to talk, Liam continued to speak, “I am a shifter. My kind has three nations at the moment. I may be allowed to try to form a kingdom of my own, though there is no guarantee that it will be successful.”

  Bridget heard the rest of his explanation, but her thoughts stuck on what he had said first. “Would it be rude to ask what a shifter is?”

  His eyes flicked to her, “I wouldn’t say so. You have already proven that you are cautiously curious, so if you are seriously considering me as a husband, it would be best to have at least a basic understanding of what you are agreeing to.” He frowned for a moment before explaining, “Shifters are born with two forms; obviously, one is human.”

  “What do you mean two forms? Like shape shifters?”

  “No. Shape shifters are a specific type of magic user. They study different animals to be able to adopt their forms. Shifters are born with the ability to take on one of two forms, but we cannot learn other forms. We are able to maintain either form for as long as we like, unlike shape shifters, who have to watch the clock to make sure they aren’t compromised when they become human again.” He held a hand out toward a bench. “If you would like to sit, you are free to ask questions while resting.”

  Bridget sat down and immediately felt her feet begin to ache. Liam knelt down and removed one shoe. The princess simply watched as he removed his gloves and began to massage her foot. Any questions she had were lost in the moment as she tried to fathom just what was happening. It was almost like an incredibly bizarre dream.

  “Why are you massaging my foot?” She looked at him, her brows knit.

  Liam looked up at her, his hands continuing to bring her foot relief as he spoke, “The expression on your face indicated that sitting was not quite enough. I figured you were kind enough to humor my interest in the maze without expecting success. It is the least I can do to help persuade you it wasn’t a mistake. At least until we make it to the end.”

  Bridget still could not fathom the way he was behaving. Was it possible he didn’t know why suitors treated her differently? If that were the case, she had to tell him to avoid any potential problems. “Are you aware that I have been married before?”

  Tilting his head to the side, Liam said, “No, I was not aware of that. I will not ask questions if it is too uncomfortable for you to discuss, though.”

  That floored her. “Does it not bother you that I was married?”

  “Should it bother me?”

  This caused her to pause. “I don’t know if it should bother you, but usually it changes how suitors treat me.”

  “Ah.” Bridget could almost see the realization in his eyes for a moment before he asked another question. “Is it proper human tradition to treat a woman who has been married a certain way after marriage? If so, I apologize.”

  Bridget vigorously shook her head. “I don’t think it is tradition so much as condescension. I am not a virgin and with no kingdom to offer, there is far less for a man to gain by marrying me.”

  He frowned, “I don’t understand how one relates to the other. Were you a bad wife?”

  “I-I-I don’t think so.” This was not what she had been expecting, and Bridget was finding herself out of her depth trying to explain something she didn’t fully understand.

  “Did he discard you, and they want you to feel shame for that?”

  “No!” Bridget sat up, realizing what he was trying to figure out. “He died. Princ
e Jocobin contracted an ailment, and it killed him.”

  “So you are a widow?”

  She nodded.

  Liam frowned. “Why would anyone be condescending to a widow?”

  Bridget’s mouth fell open as she tried think how to respond to his questions. It was like he was trying to analyze humans more than inquire after her feelings. “I guess because they feel I have nothing new to offer them. Marrying me would be considered an act of pity or kindness. Despite them actually benefiting by the connection with my father. They are always quite angry when I respond to their crude invitations and insulting proposals by declining them. I think that hits their pride worse than marrying me. After all, a marriage alliance that gets them closer to my father is still far more beneficial than marrying someone else.”

  “So, because you are a widow, they think that you are desperate for a husband and will overlook their less-than-courteous interactions with you?”

  “That is a fairly accurate description, I believe. Yes.”

  “And you were expecting me to behave the same way?”

  “I think it was more an apprehension that you wouldn’t be any different.”

  “I hope you are not too disappointed with my inability to be rude to a woman I am attempting to woo.”

  Bridget stared at him, her body almost frozen in shock. A part of her thought he was just making fun of her, especially with his nearly blank expression. But her gut said that he was being honest. Finally, she managed to say, “If you are waiting for an answer, I am not at all disappointed. Confused, certainly, but not disappointed.”

  He gave her a fleeting smile before slipping her shoe back on one foot, then removing the other shoe.

  She watched Liam as he intently rubbed her other foot. When he showed no signs of initiating any further discussion, Bridget decided to break the silence. “So you are not at all bothered by my past?”

  His reddish-brown eyes caught her for a fraction of a second. “I hardly know enough about your history to make a judgment. If you are alluding to your being a widow, that does not bother me at all. I am glad to see that you are willing to consider marriage again, especially given your obvious discomfort with previous suitors.”

  “Technically, I should still be in mourning, but my father’s people want to see me married. A year ago, I was promised to Jocobin. A few months ago, I returned to the kingdom when it was obvious that I was not pregnant with his child. His brother will take over the kingdom since Jocobin did not have any heirs.”

  A deep frown knit Liam’s brow. “You were wed and widowed in a year?”

  Hesitantly, Bridget nodded. This might be the point where he decided not to marry her. What man would want to risk marrying a woman who clearly had not had good luck with the first husband?

  Instead of excusing himself, Liam continued to question her, “And what about you? Do you want to marry so soon after losing your husband?”

  “I didn’t know him well, so I guess that it does not hurt me so much as it would have if he had died a year later.”

  “So you didn’t know him well enough to mourn?”

  Bridget rubbed her neck. She had largely avoided talking about her past because it did hurt. Liam was showing her kindness, though, and his questions were certainly legitimate. If she were mourning the loss of her husband, she shouldn’t be considering marriage, no matter what the people said. The admission that she wasn’t devastated seemed obvious, but a part of her was disappointed to have to voice it. “I knew him well enough to mourn, but it has already been more time since his death than the time that we were married. My father believes that it is best for me to marry, and I can’t say for certain that he is wrong.”

  Liam slipped the other shoe on her foot. “It sounds like you aren’t sure what you want for the immediate future. I can certainly offer you a chance to figure it out. If you are willing to marry me and move away for the time being.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Standing up, the prince slipped his gloves on, then offered his arm again. “In exchange for marrying a human, I have the chance to try to create my own kingdom to the south of the other three. It will take a while to prepare for it, and during that time you can consider your path. If you decide you want to walk a different path, you will be free to do that without any of my people trying to interfere. From the sounds of it, you likely won’t be able to return here, but my father would certainly help you find a more suitable human partner if things don’t work out.”

  Bridget took his arm and noticed the ease with which he pulled her from her seat. She had so many questions, but at the moment it seemed that Liam was offering her a way to process everything and to escape the pressure of being the returned widow. “Are you saying that if I marry you, you will let me go if I decide that the marriage isn’t working? Are you really giving me that much control?”

  Liam took a deep breath, “I suppose that is one way to put it, yes.”

  “You really have no expectations of a marriage?”

  “It is ill advised for our kind to marry humans. There are too many potential variables and problems that could arise, not the least of which being what will happen to a human woman carrying one of our babes. I think the way it was described when we were in school was ‘Theoretically, it is possible’, which was promptly followed by laughter at the idea that any shifter would be willing.”

  “Then why marry a human at all?”

  “Because the three kings have decided we should, and the other three princes are not willing to act without some proof that our fathers aren’t joking.”

  “But why?”

  “If you mean why did the kings decide that, I could not tell you. They did not tell us, nor will they say a word on it.”

  “Wait, um…” Bridget was trying to figure out how Liam fit into the picture. “If you aren’t an heir, why do you have to marry a human? Are you just doing it to prove to the other princes that your fathers mean it?”

  “It isn’t altruism,” a wry smiled passed his lips. “Possibly having my own kingdom is something I could not have dreamed of. The three kings only agreed to the attempt if I showed my dedication by taking on the same burden as the heirs. As it is, I cannot remain in my kingdom because it is doing more harm than good. My brother really does not want to become heir, and he is using my presence to avoid the responsibility he doesn’t want.”

  Bridget nodded. Whatever he was saying about his brother escaped her understanding, but that wasn’t something that she would need to understand. The princess could understand that kings would make such a bizarre demand, especially if the new kingdom was in competition with the others. It was certainly risky on their part. But what was in it for them if a fourth prince married a human?

  Muttering more to herself, Bridget said, “I wonder if it has to do with the shape shifters that have been invading over the last few years. They’ve been wiping out our ports, and at this point, I think the kings are afraid they will eventually take over all the human kingdoms. They’ve already taken two and utterly destroyed a third.”

  “Shape shifters are attacking humans?” Liam was looking at her, a hint of concern in his expression.

  “Yes, and they are only getting worse.”

  With his free hand, the shifter tapped a finger on his lips. “That would actually explain our fathers’ motives. But why not tell us?”

  Bridget shrugged, not sure how it was related. “There I definitely cannot help you.”

  “You have already done more than enough to enlighten me on the potential motives. Though there are still many missing puzzle pieces.”

  The pair walked in silence for a while, each reflecting on their conversation since entering the maze.

  Chapter 3

  If You’ll Have Me

  Liam’s calming voice pulled Bridget from her thoughts. “We are nearing the end. I hope you have enjoyed it after all the years of curiosity.”

  “Yes, thank you very much. I must admit that it wasn’t nearl
y as scary as I remembered it being.”

  He gave her a small smile that disappeared nearly as quickly as it had appeared.

  She smiled back, making sure to hold her face in the pose, even if it was fake. “Thank you. It wasn’t at all like I had expected. You weren’t kidding when you said you knew how to make it through, were you?”

  Liam tilted his head to the side, “Not at all. I am not accustomed to saying I am capable of something when I am not certain of the truth of the claim.”

  “I have to admit that my time with you has been surprisingly refreshing. Confusing but refreshing.” Her face softened a little as she spoke because she knew that she was speaking something that she would usually hide. It was strangely liberating, almost like she was doing something she shouldn’t. “I have to say you were even more gallant than Jocobin when I met him. Although I think some of that were his nerves. The poor man had no self-confidence.”

  “You must miss him.”

  “I suppose a little. If I am being honest, I didn’t find him very charming at the time. I only agreed to marry him because my brother was good friends with him when they were kids. That was before I was born. Considering how far his kingdom was, they hadn’t really spent time together in years. ”

  “You find it easier to look back and think of the time fondly because of the way you have been treated since then.”

  Bridget pondered the prince’s words. “I think you are probably right. My first impression of him wasn’t exactly unfavorable, despite his obvious efforts to be gallant. It came off as a little cocky. Not quite as bad as some of the other suitors, and certainly nothing like as bad as the suitors since him.” Realizing she was speaking only of negative things, Bridget shook her head. “My apologies. You’ve thrown me a bit. I have been rambling on about things that I should not be discussing with a suitor. It isn’t appropriate.”

  “How is it inappropriate?”

  Liam’s eyes were clearly assessing her with each question, and the princess was beginning to realize that they had not talked about him much since their time at the fountain. “It will create an unfavorable impression.”